23 May 2010

This Sunday Oz and Ends once again features the musical stylings of Mr. Richard Grayson.This performance was captured during a high-school campout in “The Teen-Age Gap!” a story published in Detective Comics, #386, dated April 1966. The script was written by Mike Friedrich, and the art by Ross Andru and Mike Esposito.

Here are the full lyrics and guitar chords if you want to play along. I should note that a later issue of Detective revealed that Dick could finger-pick a twelve-string, so he may not just be playing the chords.

Today “Today” might be best remembered for John Denver’s live version from 1974, eight years after Dick Grayson essayed it. Denver’s performance is one of many by country musicians, but Dick’s biggest fans know which version they prefer.

All the examples of Dick Grayson singing and playing music that I can think of now date from before Crisis on Infinite Earths. So I don’t know if those hobbies have remained part of his character. I like to think they have.

(Of course, I’m blocking my memory of Batman: Fortunate Son as a long exploration of Robin and music. I’m trying to fill my mind with thoughts of the Mad Mod episodes of Teen Titans instead.)

I think the song choice here is steered by DC’s attempts to be relevant to kids in 1966. “Kids like folk music, right? That Peter, Paul & Mary stuff. Especially when they’re on a high-school campout, right?“ And, to be fair, Dick is answering a request from a teacher to play something, so he might have chosen the song with that audience in mind.

Dick's interest in music remains alive and well, although style fluctuates wildly from writer to writer.

Dini has him missing a jazz guitar performance (sheesh, Dini, you are OLD) to rescue Damian recently. Further back, in Flash plus Nightwing, Dick puts a White Zombie cassette into the taper deck in the car.

I'd love to see a guitar leaning up against the wall in his room though.

I fully believe that he still plays various instruments, especially the accordion, and sings. I wish somebody would let him and Alfred chill out with some performing one night. Damian would probably comment on how this must be how "the help" amuse themselves backstairs or something. (Though I fear a moment later he would reveal he was a classical pianist, given his track record.)

I agree that "Today" had a very different meaning in 1966. Of course Dick would be handy with a folksong throughout that whole period.

About the Author

J. L. BELL is a writer and reader of fantasy literature for children. His favorite authors include L. Frank Baum, Diana Wynne Jones, and Susan Cooper. He is an Assistant Regional Advisor in the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators, and was the editor of Oziana, creative magazine of the International Wizard of Oz Club, from 2004 to 2010.

Living in Massachusetts, Bell also writes about the American Revolution at Boston 1775.